Collapsible ski sled



Feb. 26, 1957 A. l.. WALL COLLAPSIBLE SKI SLED.

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 2, 1954 INVENTOR. Le/@T L 'WQLL i Y BY 7%@ 0m v- M4,-

Feb. 26, 1957 A WA| 2,783,052

COLLAPSIBLE SKI SLED FJfled June 2. 1954 Sheets-Sheet 2 v i 6 l 17j/(7.4 y ,1.3.5 Fa 4 /3 vv V 7 2'/ 2 /3 f L@ 3 @20 'A Z I"/J' l .//5

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BY w, waz@ MVM@ vUnit@ This invention relates to ski sleds, and more particularly to those thatpare collapsible.

There are instances where it would be very desirable to have a sled for transporting a load, but when not in use a sled requires a considerable amount of room and is awkward to carry. For example, a sled could be very useful on airplanes in case of forced landings, and helpful to hunters of large game that must be hauled out of the woods. Although the sled could be used even in the absence -of snow, the addition of auxiliary wheels would add to its utility. Such uses would become practical if the sled could be taken apart when not in use and carried or stored as a compact bundle.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a ski sled which is collapsible into a small lightweight bundle, which can be quickly and easily assembled, and which is strong and durable in use.

In accordance with this invention, each of a pair of parallel skis is separable transversely into a plurality of sections which have their adjoining ends formed for interlocking engagement. Thus, each section may overlap the rear end of the section ahead of it and may be provided with a T-shaped tongue that tits into laterally spaced slots of the overlapped section. Posts are detachably connected to each ski at longitudinally spaced points. Some of these posts help to hold the assembled sections of the skis together. Cross bars extend between the skis and have their ends detachably connected to the posts to hold the skis in tixed relation to each other. A removable cover, such as a strip of flexible material, extends across the tops of all of the cross bars to form the bed of the sled. When the sled is dismantled, the ski sections can be nested into one another and some or all of the legs and cross bars placed in the resulting short reces. p The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of my sled with part of the bed broken away to show the underlying structure;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the sled;

Fig. 3 is a front end view;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the skis separated into vits sections;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the separated ski;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the sections of one of the skis nested together; and

Fig. 9 is a cross section through both nested skis -place face-to-face.

Referring to the drawings, the sled is formed from four types of elements; namely, a pair of spaced parallel skis 1, posts 2, projecting above the skis, cross bars 3 connecting the tops of the posts, and a bed 4 on top of the cross bars. In order that the skis may be separated into short lengths when the sled is not in use, each ski is States Patent() formed from a suitable number of sections 6, 7 and 8, the longest of which preferably is only about eighteen inches long. The front end of each of the ski sections overlaps the rear end of the section ahead of it. As each section is channel-shape and thereby provided with vertical side walls, the sections are of decreasing width as the rear of the ski is approached, so that the ends of the sections can lit into one another as shown. Although the skis can be made of any suitable material, aluminum is preferred.

The ski sections are held together by providing the front ends of the back and middle sections with T-shaped tongues 10 that t down into pairs of laterally spaced slots 11 which are open at their upper ends. These slots are formed in blocks 12 which extend inward from the opposite side walls of the overlapped sections. The rear end of the back section 8 and the front part of the front section 6 also are provided with similar pairs of slots 13, but of course they do not receive any tongues.

Fitting into each pair of slots is the lower end of one of the vertical posts 2. As shown in Fig. 4, each post is formed from two legs 15 having close parallel upper portions and downwardly diverging lower portions terminating in laterally projecting feed 16. At the point where the upper and lower portions of the legs meet, they are connected together by a hinge pin 17, so that if the upper ends lof the legs are spread apart the feet will be drawn together. When the feet are close together a post can be lowered into a pair of the ski slots. The lower portions of the outer walls of the slots are provided with horizontal recesses 1S which receive the post feet when the upper ends of the legs are swung together, whereby the lower end of the post is locked in the slots. ln the two central pairs of slots 11 in each ski the lower ends of the posts rest on the underlying tongues 10 and thereby lock the tongues in the slots.

The cross bars 3 that hold the skis in lixed parallel relation are provided at their opposite ends with downwardly facing sockets 20, which fit down over the upper ends of the posts in a snug manner and thereby keep the -upper ends of the post legs from spreading apart and releasing the feet from recesses 18 in the skis. The posts therefore perform the double function of locking the ski sections together and supporting the cross bars, while the latter have the triple purpose of connecting the skis to form sled runners, locking the posts in the skis and supporting the bed of the sled as now will be described.

The bed 4 of the sled is formed by a strip of ilexible material, such as canvas or any other suitable material, which extends lengthwise across all of the cross bars 3 and which is wider than the bars so that it can lap over their opposite ends. The marginal portions of the strip are provided with holes which permit it to be hooked over buttons 21 projecting laterally from the upper ends of the posts through vertical slots 22 in the outer walls of sockets 20. The bed 4 therefore helps to hold the cross bars on the posts.

When it is desired to take the sled apart so that it can be packed in a compact bundle, the bed 4 is removed from buttons 21 and then the cross bars 3 are lifted from posts 2. The upper ends of the legs forming each post then can be swung apart in order to withdraw feet 16 from ski recesses 18. After the posts have been removed from the skis in this manner, the overlapping ski sections can be separated and the rear sections placed in the center sections which then are nested in the front sections as shown in Fig. 8. When the two sets of nested ski sections are placed with their tops toward each other, as shown in Fig. 9, a rectangular box is formed, in which there is considerable space. That space generally will accommodate more or less of the posts and cross bars, depending on their size. The bed can be wrapped around the ski sections, posts and bars to complete the bundle. When it is desired to assemble the sled, the procedure just recited is reversed. It takes only a minute or two to assemble the sled.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specieally illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. A collapsible ski sled comprising a pair of spaced parallel skis, each ski being separable transversely into a plurality of sections having their adjoining ends formed for interlocking engagement, a plurality of posts detachably connected to each ski at longitudinally spaced points, cross bars extending between the skis and having downwardly facing sockets in their ends receiving the upper ends of the posts to hold the skis in fixed relation to each. other, each socket being provided in its outer wall with an upwardly extending slot, a strip of ilexible material extending across the tops of all of the cross bars to form the bed of the sled, and laterally projecting elements mounted in the posts and extending through said slots for anchoring the sides of the strip.

2. A collapsible ski sled comprising a pair of spaced parallel skis, each ski being separable transversely into a plurality of sections with the front end of each section overlapping the rear end of the section ahead of it, said front end being provided with a T-shaped tongue and said rear end provided with a pair of laterally spaced slots open at the top and receiving the tongue to connect the sections, posts removably disposed in said slots and having feet extending in opposite directions in engagement with the tongues, the outer walls of the slots being provided with horizontal recesses receiving said feet to hold the posts and tongues in the slots, cross bars extending between the skis and having their ends detachably connected to the posts to` hold the skis in iixed relation to each other, and a removable cover over the cross bars and forming the bed of the sled.

3. A ski sled according to the claim 2, in which each of said posts is formed from a pair of legs having downwardly diverging lower portions pivotally connected together to their vupper ends and said cross bars have downwardly facing sockets in their ends receiving the upper ends of the posts to normally maintain said feet spread apart into said ski recesses.

4. A collapsible ski sled comprising a pair of spaced parallel skis, each ski being separable transversely into a plurality of sections having their adjoining ends formed for interlocking engagement, a post removably mounted on each ski section and formed from a pair of legs having downwardly diverging lower portions pivotally connected together at their upper ends, the lower ends of each pair of legs having feet extending away from each other in opposite directions, each ski section being provided with a pair of spaced horizontal recesses receiving said feet to hold the post in place, cross bars extending between the skis and having their ends detachably connected to the upper ends of both legs of each post, and a removable cover over the cross bars and forming the bed of the sled, removal of the cross bars from the posts permitting the upper ends of the legs of each post to be swung apart to withdraw the post feet from said recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,376,150 Miller Apr. 26, 1921 1,583,693 Kraft May 4, 1926 2,203,909 Insam June 11, 1940 2,448,545 ODaniel Sept. 7, 1948 2,527,453 Rowland et al Oct. 24, 1950 2,545,209 Meehan Mar. 13, 1951 .2,627,422 Pagelkopf Feb. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 309,483 Germany Nov. 23, 1918 349,139 Germany Feb. 25, 1922 475,564 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1937 54,441 Norway Oct. 8, 1934 

